Modular elements for pieces of furniture and pieces of furniture obtained thereby

ABSTRACT

An assembly of modular elements for making up pieces of furniture is disclosed, which essentially comprises at least two angularly shaped uprights and a planar element, all of these modular elements being assembled by means of ledges and selftapping screws. A filing cabinet can also be provided and removably connected to the piece of furniture if desired.

United States Patent Borsani et a1.

[ 51 May 16, 1972 [54] MODULAR ELEMENTS FOR PIECES OF FURNITURE AND PIECES OF FURNITURE OBTAINED THEREBY [72] lnventors: Osvaldo Borsani, Varedo(Mi1an); Eugenio Gerll, Milan, both of ltaly [73] Assignee: Tecono S.p.A., Milan, Italy [22] Filed: Oct. 20, 1969 21 Appl. No.: 867,672

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 22, 1968 ltaly ..22835 A/68 s2 U.S.C1 ..312/195 [51] Int.Cl. ..A47b17/00,A47bl9/00,A47b27/00 5s FieldofSearch ..312/194,197,257, 108,111,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,821,450 1/1958 Knoll ..312/l95 X 3,049,390 8/1962 Wolfe ..3l2/l96 3,079,207 2/1963 Deaton ..3l2/195 3,141,423 7/1964 Christensen 108/1 1 1 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,107,628 1/1956 France .3l2/194 1,221,573 6/1960 France ..312/195 Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam Attorney-Waters, Roditi, Schwartz & Nissen [5 7] ABSTRACT An assembly of modular elements for making up pieces of furniture is disclosed, which essentially comprises at least two angularly shaped uprights and a planar element, all of these modular elements being assembled by means of ledges and self-tapping screws. A filing cabinet can also be provided and removably connected to the piece of furniture if desired.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEUMM 16 I972 3,663,079

sum 1 [IF 2 PATENTEDIM 16 m2 3.663 079 SHEET 2 OF 2 This invention relates to an assembly of modular elements for composing pieces of furniture, especially business office desks.

There is a trend, nowadays, towards imparting to the office premises a particular architectural shape, not only as far as the structure is concerned (movable walls, glass walls etc.) but also, to the furniture, by doing away with the individual characteristic and preset piece of furniture, to replace it with modular elements in order to obtain combination which are countless in number and variable in time, and which are easy to assemble without the intervention of specially trained labor, that is, capable of being assembled in the office premises and such as to require a minimum storage space and conveniency of supply.

An object of the invention is to provide modular elements, especially for obtaining business ofiice pieces of furniture adapted to fulfill the particular architectural requirements outlined above.

With the above objects in mind, it has been envisaged to provide an assembly of modular elements which comprises, as characteristic component parts, at least two supporting members, each of which comprises two walls connected at right angles to one another, adapted to form the sidewalls and the front wall of a writing table, at least a resting plane supported by said two supporting members, and at least a filing cabinet mounted on castor wheels.

The supporting members and the resting planes are connected to one another by means of ledges and of self-threading screws.

In order that the features of the present invention may be better understood, a few possible embodiments of writing tables, obtained by using the assembly of modular elements as defined above, will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIGS. 1 to 4 are perspective elevational views.

The numeral indicates the supporting members, each formed by two walls 11-12 at right angles to one another, to which a desk plane 13 is affixed, and can have several sizes, by means of ledges 14 and self-threading screws 15. The numeral 16 indicates the filing cabinets, mounted on castor wheels 17 which are mounted for rotation on a frame 18 affixed to the bottom wall of the cabinet by means of screws 15.

The drawers have a semicircular handle 19, preferably made of an ABS resin, a material with which also the castor wheels 17 are made. In addition, the filing cabinet and the supporting members are preferably made of enameled sheet metal, whereas the desk planes are made of a plastic laminate.

It should be noted that the supporting members 10, in addition to carrying the desk planes, make up the sidewalls and an open front wall of the writing table. The supporting members can be connected to the desk planes in different positions, for example the upper edges of the supporting members can be placed above the desk plane level.

A single writing table can have more than one desk plane, a central plane, or work plane, and one or more side planes (so as to form an L-shaped or a U-shaped desk) for the typewriter, the telephone set, the dictating machine and the like.

Of course, inasmuch as the filing cabinet is wheeled, it can be positioned and displaced to the position which is most convenient to the user.

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show, in perspective and exploded perspective view, a writing table comprising a single desk plane 13, two supporting members 10 and a filing cabinet 16.

FIG. 3 shows, still in perspective view, an L-shaped writing table comprising a central desk plane 13, a lateral service plane 19 affixed thereto and a filing cabinet 16. In this embodiment, it should be noted that the supporting member for the plane 19 has the upper edges above the level of said plane.

FIG. 4 shows the writing table of FIG. 3 with a longer lateral service plane 19 and two filing cabinets 16.

It can be readily understood that the assembly of modular elements described above is such as to permit the combination of writing desks capable of fulfilling the most varied requirements of modern business offices.

The assemblage of these members is extremely simple and can be carried in the office itself without requiring any specially trained people.

The supply of these elements is extremely easy and the shelf space required is small.

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly of modular elements forming a unit of furniture, said assembly comprising the combination of; at least a pair of spaced upright supporting members, each of said supporting members being formed of two planar surfaces in a generally L-shaped angular configuration, said spaced supporting members being positioned relative to each other so as to have a first planar upright surface of each member constituting a front wall and the other planar surface constituting a sidewall of said unit of furniture; a generally horizontal plane member having an upper surface forming a desk top extending between said spaced supporting members, at least some of the peripheral edge portions of said plane member projecting beyond and being supported on the upper edges of said spaced upright supporting members; means on said supporting member for rigidly fastening said horizontal plane member thereto, said fastening means comprising horizontal ledges extending from the interior wall surface of at least one of the planar surfaces of each of said upright support members, each of said ledges having apertures; and self-tapping screw means extending upwardly through said apertures to threadingly engage the lower surface of said plane member in fastening relationship so as to provide a rigidly interconnected unit of furniture comprising cabinet means positioned below said horizontal plane member, said cabinet means being adapted to extend into the space defined by the interior walls of at least one of said L-shaped supporting members and the lower surface of said plane member.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, comprising a third of said upright support members in spaced relation to said first and second support members whereby said three support members define a generally right-angular three-cornered arrangement, the first and second planar upright surfaces of said third support member constituting respectively a further front wall and sidewall of said unit of furniture at a right angle to said first-mentioned front and side walls; said horizontal plane member extending between and being supported on the upper edges of said first and second support members; and a second horizontal plane member extending between the second and third support member; and further fastening means on said second and third support members for fastening said second plate member to the interior upright surfaces thereof at an elevation below the lower surface of said first plate member.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,653,079 Dated Mag 1 1972 Inventor(s) Osvaldo Borsani, et. a1.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover sheet [73] "Tecono" should read Tecno Signed and sealed this 20th day of March 1973.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-IOSO (10-69) USCOMM DC 6o376 p59 1 us. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: I969 o-ass-aaa. 

1. An assembly of modular elements forming a unit of furniture, said assembly comprising the combination of; at least a pair of spaced upright supporting members, each of said supporting members being formed of two planar surfaces in a generally Lshaped angular configuration, said spaced supporting members being positioned relative to each other so as to have a first planar upright surface of each member constituting a front wall and the other planar surface constituting a sidewall of said unit of furniture; a generally horizontal plane member having an upper surface forming a desk top extending between said spaced supporting members, at least some of the peripheral edge portions of said plane member projecting beyond and being supported on the upper edges of said spaced upright supporting members; means on said supporting member for rigidly fastening said horizontal plane member thereto, said fastening means comprising horizontal ledges extending from the interior wall surface of at least one of the planar surfaces of each of said upright support members, each of said ledges having apertures; and self-tapping screw means extending upwardly through said apertures to threadingly engage the lower surface of said plane member in fastening relationship so as to provide a rigidly interconnected unit of furniture comprising cabinet means positioned below said horizontal plane member, said cabinet means being adapted to extend into the space defined by the interior walls of at least one of said L-shaped supporting members and the lower surface of said plane member.
 2. An assembly as claimed in claim 1, comprising a third of said upright support members in spaced relation to said first and second support members whereby said three support members define a generally right-angular three-cornered arrangement, the first and second planar upright surfaces of said third support member constituting respectively a further front wall and sidewall of said unit of furniture at a right angle to said first-mentioned front and side walls; said horizontal plane member extending between and being supported on the upper edges of said first and second support members; and a second horizontal plane member extending between the second and third support member; and further fastening means on said second and third support members for fastening said second plate member to the interior upright surfaces thereof at an elevation below the lower surface of said first plate member. 